The Lords of Salem

Synopsis

Heidi, a radio station DJ, receives a wooden box containing a record. Heidi listens and the bizarre sounds within the grooves immediately trigger flashbacks of Salem’s violent past. Is Heidi going mad or are the Lords of Salem returning for revenge on modern day Salem?

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Zombie lovingly guides us back into the womb of genre film. Like many classic horror films, Lords of Salem is more concerned with a woman’s mental health than what’s coming for her. It takes great pains to show us the tragedy of her closest friends’ devotion which she rejects, believing as so many of us do that she’s unworthy of care and attention. That is more horrific than any witch or demon, that help is reaching out for us and we don’t reach back because we don’t think we can.

[…It’s] the most interesting and disturbing American horror film to be released so far this year… Zombie has pared away most of his most commercial (and irritating) tendency as a filmmaker (the jokey sadism) in favor of shocks that are less easily contained and digested. The terror in Zombie’s films has never been fun, and now it’s no longer even purely visceral, as the filmmaker seems to be intent on capturing nothing less than immobilizing personal desolation.

Zombie finds formal inspiration in Roman Polanski and Stanley Kubrick, prioritizing atmosphere over blood and guts and, as the DJ slides further into madness, all but abandoning the plot in favor of unbridled hallucination. Polished and calculated, this is a nerve-shattering fright fest bolstered by immaculate technique.

Oddly, Zombie's most subtle film is one of his weakest, although he improves his camera eye, with more tender emotion between the characters. Sherri Moon Zombie also gives an empathetic performance, like in a phone conversation with Jeff Daniel Phillips towards the end that is truly touching. However, it tries to go for scares more often than this character drama, and fear wise it's too safe and not urgent enough.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars. Rob Zombie has next to no skills as a storyteller but the man has an eye for imagery. He described Lords of Salem as The Shining directed by Ken Russell and I can't disagree. Fantastic and sometimes unshakable imagery with touches of David Lynch and Rosemary's Baby and some Night of the Living Dead during the end credits. Unfortunately the story is so incredibly goddamned fucking dull.

Rob Zombie turns addiction into a horrifying descent into madness in this haunting, surreal, disturbing tale of a woman in Salem Massachusetts who is followed by a curse by a coven of witches. Part Kubrick, part Lynch, all Zombie, this is a pure, unfettered trip through Zombie's favorite obsessions. There hasn't been a look into an artist's id this terrifying since Lars Von Trier's ANTICHRIST.

It's a shame that Zombie had to remove so many of the character stories and sub plots due to time restraints. Even so, it's a milestone for Zombie as far as bringing his brand of horror beyond the gorehound pleasing b-movie tribute.

Sure, the dialogue is terrible, the acting dubious, the editing often way too antsy to really evoke the slow burn horror Zombie's going for (let's not even talk about the zooming), but it's also a movie in which Zombie's wife wiggles the twin umbilicuses of a giant demon baby. Whenever he goes nuts with sound and image things get quite enjoyable. And his obvious affection for music culture is endearing.

This is what I'm talkin'! 60s/70s horror inspired that isn't ironic. Yes, it's indulgent but its good indulgence. Just cause you're quiet doesn't mean you're effective. I love how loud the movie is. Literally and thematically. Brutal madness. Satanic masturbation. Best time at the movies, that is sure!

Great effort from Zombie who with this movie sheds the exploitation shackles and moves onto better things. The movie has an ominous and surreal tone which is great and makes you think of both Ken Russell and Stanley Kubrick. Some scenes are borderline genius while others are a bit silly. Despite the sometimes hit or miss qualities I really enjoyed this movie and I will surely get it on Blu Ray.